#23-25 

CITY RESPONDS TO HISTORIC RAINFALL EVENT 

OFFICIALS WARN OF INTENSIFYING STORMS IN A CHANGING CLIMATE 

NEW YORK — On the evening of July 14, Central Park recorded 2.07 inches of rain between 6:51 PM and 7:51 PM, making it the second-highest one-hour rainfall total ever documented at that location. Only Hurricane Ida surpassed that mark, with 3.15 inches recorded on September 1, 2021. The third-highest record, 1.94 inches, occurred during Tropical Storm Henri just weeks before, in August 2021. All three records have occurred within the past four years. 

“This was a historic storm, where Central Park alone saw rainfall levels that could rank among the highest ever recorded,” said New York City Mayor Eric Adams. “I want to thank our first responders, city workers, and everyday New Yorkers for taking our warnings seriously and acting quickly. Because people listened — because they stayed off flooded roads and helped protect one another — we avoided greater harm. This is how we meet the moment in a city facing rising climate risks.” 

“Central Park may have recorded its second-highest one-hour rainfall ever,” said NYC Emergency Management Commissioner Zach Iscol. “When that much rain falls that fast, streets can flood quickly and it can become dangerous to travel. When New Yorkers get these updates through the multichannel, multilingual approach we use, it is important to heed them because knowing is half the battle: stay informed, gather supplies, and be ready to act. I want to commend the first responders, including public safety officials, emergency managers, sanitation, transportation workers, and others who worked across agencies and boroughs to keep people safe. These storms are becoming more intense. City agencies are ready to respond, and we are committed to making sure alerts reach as many people as possible, as clearly and quickly as possible.” 

"As climate change increases the number and severity of extreme rainfall events the city is experiencing, we are doing things like increasing the number of trees in the city to reduce stormwater and using the latest available climate science and data to inform our infrastructure projects,” said Mayor’s Office of Climate & Environmental Justice Executive Director Elijah Hutchinson. “We also continue to look for every available dollar that can be put towards projects that address flash flooding and encourage all New Yorkers to use our Environmental Justice NYC mapping tool to explore the flood risk where they live and work.” 

The rainfall total was recorded by the official Central Park gauge, operated by the National Weather Service. According to the agency, the 2.07 inches measured between 6:51 and 7:51 PM on July 14 falls between the top-of-hour rainfall amounts recorded during Tropical Storm Henri and Hurricane Ida in 2021. While not currently a formal record, the reading reflects rainfall intensity consistent with two of New York City's most extreme flood events. All data remains preliminary until reviewed and confirmed by the National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI). 

As part of the response to the July 14 storm, NYC Emergency Management activated the City’s Flash Flood Emergency Plan. This action triggered enhanced coordination with the National Weather Service, city and state agencies, utility providers, and private sector partners. Interagency briefings were held to assess risks, review operational plans, and align response measures across agencies. Specialized emergency assets and rapid response teams were placed on standby and mobilized as conditions required. This coordinated approach helped ensure a faster, more effective response to a fast-moving and dangerous weather event. 

In recent years, the city has expanded its outreach to residents living in basement and below-grade apartments, who face the greatest risk during flash flooding. These units can flood with little or no warning, and past storms have led to tragic fatalities when residents could not evacuate in time. To help protect lives, NYC Emergency Management launched a targeted Notify NYC campaign urging at-risk residents to sign up for free, real-time emergency alerts. Notifications are available by text, email, phone, or TTY, in 14 languages, including ASL video messages for people who are Deaf or hard of hearing. New Yorkers in these units are strongly encouraged to keep a Go Bag near the door, monitor conditions closely, and be ready to leave immediately if conditions warrant. To enroll, visit NYC.gov/NotifyNYC, call 311, or text NotifyNYC to 692-692. 

The New York City Panel on Climate Change (NPCC), which provides scientific guidance on climate risks, projects that precipitation will continue to increase across the city. Its latest report indicates that extreme rainfall events are expected to become more frequent and more disruptive, with an increased risk from rainfall, river-based, coastal, and groundwater flooding because of sea level rise and intensified rainfall. By the end of the century, the city could see a 25 percent increase in total annual rainfall and roughly 50 percent more days with over one inch of rain. 

Short bursts of extreme rainfall present unique dangers in urban environments, where streets, underpasses, and basements can flood within minutes. In response, New York City has spent the past three decades reshaping its approach to stormwater management and climate resilience. Through long-term planning, regulatory reform, and sustained multi-billion-dollar capital investment, the city is modernizing infrastructure across all five boroughs to address the rising risks of intense storms and inland flooding. This includes adapting emergency response protocols, expanding public messaging strategies, and delivering both large-scale system upgrades and local improvements. These efforts are designed to help New Yorkers stay safe in a future where extreme weather is more frequent, more intense, and more dangerous. 

This includes Rainfall Ready NYC, a plan that outlines steps New Yorkers and City government can take to combat and protect the City from the damaging effects of stormwater flooding. Rainfall Ready outlines immediate protective actions New Yorkers can take and details steps city agencies will carry out before, during, and after major storms. 

New York City is making sustained, large-scale investments in sewer infrastructure to reduce flood risk in historically underserved neighborhoods, with a major focus on Southeast Queens. As currently reported, since 2020, more than 125 miles of sewers have been built or upgraded citywide. In Southeast Queens alone, the Department of Environmental Protection has completed 18 of 44 planned projects, with 17 more in active phases. This work is part of a multi-billion dollar initiative to build a comprehensive drainage system and improve street conditions in the area. However, significant upgrades are also underway in other neighborhoods across the city, including major projects in Maspeth, East Elmhurst, Canarsie, and Staten Island. These efforts often involve storm sewer expansion, new catch basins, sanitary upgrades, water main replacements, street reconstruction, and pedestrian improvements. 

The city has also installed over 11,000 green infrastructure assets and 17,000 linear feet of porous pavement to help absorb and manage rainfall. These nature-based measures include rain gardens, stormwater medians, and other features that capture runoff, protect water quality, and reduce surface flooding. 

The city’s Bluebelt program continues to expand as a cornerstone of stormwater management and climate adaptation. As of mid-2025, approximately 90 Bluebelt projects have been completed across New York City, with continued growth in Staten Island, Southeast Queens, and parts of the Bronx. Bluebelts use restored streams, wetlands, and natural drainage corridors to manage stormwater runoff at scale. Staten Island remains the core of the system, where Bluebelts now manage runoff from over 40 percent of the island’s land area. In Southeast Queens, Bluebelt installations are being integrated with ongoing sewer infrastructure upgrades, with new sites underway in Springfield Gardens, Jamaica, and Rosedale. Smaller Bluebelt-style projects are also being piloted in the Bronx and Queens, often in combination with green infrastructure like rain gardens and bioswales. The city is advancing stream daylighting pilots, including a major effort to restore Tibbetts Brook in the Bronx. That project, expected to break ground in late 2025 or early 2026, will reintroduce a historic buried stream as a natural corridor to absorb stormwater and reduce sewer overflows. The Bluebelt program remains central to New York City’s long-term stormwater strategy and is actively being expanded based on future flood projections and land use planning. 

NYC is expanding cloudburst management projects that combine green and gray infrastructure to manage high-volume rainfall. Design is underway for four major Cloudburst Hubs: Corona and Kissena Park in Queens, Parkchester in the Bronx, and East New York in Brooklyn. The design phase for these projects is scheduled to be completed by the third quarter of 2025. 

In addition to sewer upgrades and green infrastructure, the city is advancing long-term strategies to manage stormwater through urban greening. New York City is currently developing its Urban Forest Plan, which aims to increase tree canopy coverage by 30 percent. Trees play a vital role in the city’s stormwater management system. Each year, New York City’s urban forest reduces stormwater runoff by an estimated 69 million cubic feet, helping to absorb rainfall, reduce pressure on sewers, and mitigate flooding during extreme weather events. The Urban Forest Plan will guide future planting, preservation, and maintenance efforts to expand this natural resilience citywide. 

Public outreach efforts have also grown. Through FloodHelpNY.org, the city is expanding access to flood risk information and encouraging uptake of flood insurance beyond areas impacted by Hurricane Sandy. The site helps both renters and homeowners understand their exposure and prepare financially for future flood events. 

Extreme weather is no longer a future threat. It is a present and growing reality. New York City is taking action now to limit its impact. This includes strengthening infrastructure, improving emergency operations, and reaching those most at risk with timely, accessible information. The city is committed to meeting these challenges with urgency, coordination, and compassion. New Yorkers are urged to stay informed, know their flood risk, and make a plan before the next storm arrives. Sign up for Notify NYC, prepare a Go Bag, and check in on neighbors who may need support. Every step taken now can make a difference.  

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